(19)
(11) EP 1 327 983 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
07.01.2004 Bulletin 2004/02

(43) Date of publication A2:
16.07.2003 Bulletin 2003/29

(21) Application number: 03075942.7

(22) Date of filing: 10.04.2000
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: G11B 20/12, G11B 27/19, G11B 27/32, G11B 27/034
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE FR GB NL

(30) Priority: 29.04.1999 US 301880

(62) Application number of the earlier application in accordance with Art. 76 EPC:
00303013.7 / 1049089

(71) Applicant: Hewlett-Packard Company, A Delaware Corporation
Palo Alto, CA 94304 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Weirauch, Charles R.
    Loveland, CO 80537 (US)
  • Larner, Joel B.
    Fort Collins, CO 80525 (US)

(74) Representative: Jackson, Richard Eric et al
Carpmaels & Ransford, 43 Bloomsbury Square
London WC1A 2RA
London WC1A 2RA (GB)

   


(54) Data structure for control information on rewriteable data storage media


(57) A data storage medium includes a data structure, called a disk control block, used for administration and control information for the data storage medium. One medium may contain multiple different disk control blocks, each addressing a different function. One example disk control block contains information such as a counter that counts how many times the medium has been loaded, control information for formatting of the medium by the drive, and power calibration information. Another example disk control block may be used to partition a disk into multiple sections, and for each section the disk control block defines an access attribute such as write-once, or read only with password, or other similar access control. Other examples include a disk control block for updating firmware. Each disk control block includes a control block identifier (202) that specifies the function of the disk control block. Each control block also includes a set of standard access control parameters (204). If a drive encounters an unrecognized disk control block, the drive can still decode the standard control parameters, so that the drive behavior is not inconsistent with the requirements of the unrecognized disk control block. Redundant copies of disk control blocks, with sequence numbers, are used to help recover from corrupted disk control blocks.






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